FAQs
Answers to our most frequently asked questions
My Flight
You can find flight information on our website and on the screens in the Arrivals and Departures halls. Major updates can be found on our Twitter and social media accounts.
We advise that you familiarise yourself with our security rules. Some airlines will also have different rules on hand luggage, so contact your airline directly for this information before you fly.
Check-in times can vary depending on your type of flight, so please arrive with a sufficient amount of spare time to pass through check-in and security. Checking-in times can usually be found on your individual ticket or itinerary, or alternatively by contacting your airline directly.
This can vary depending on your type of flight, so please contact your airline directly for this information.
If you're stopping over between connecting flights, you'll need to leave the airport via passport control, baggage reclaim and customs, then check in as normal in time for your onward flight.
If you arrive at Stansted on an international flight you will need to pass through passport control/immigration, whether your connecting flight is domestic or international. If you are connecting from a UK flight to an international flight you will need to pass through special immigration control points where you may be asked to show your passport.
At the airport
As well as shops and restaurants, we have a number of different facilities and services. Find out more on our Airport Facilities page.
In line with British law on smoking in enclosed public spaces, London Stansted is a smoke-free airport and smoking is only permitted in designated areas outside of the terminal building (pre-security). Please note that vaping and electronic cigarettes are also forbidden in all areas of the terminal building.
If you arrive at Stansted on an international flight you will need to pass through passport control/immigration, whether your connecting flight is domestic or international. If you are connecting from a UK flight to an international flight you will need to pass through special immigration control points where you may be asked to show your passport.
Yes, we offer free access for up to 4 hours in a 24-hour period. You can find more information about our WiFi service here.
We have a wide range of shops at London Stansted Airport. For a list of shops, visit our Shopping page.
Duty Free allowances are listed here.
The only dogs we permit in our terminal buildings are Assistance Dogs. If you would like to travel abroad with your pet, you can use the Pet Travel Scheme. Find out more on our Pet Travel Scheme page.
We have a range of restaurants to choose from. For a full list, visit our Restaurants page.
There is a breastfeeding room located in the main departures lounge, as well as family rooms located near several of the gates. Please note that we promote feeding across our site and don't restrict where this can take place.
Yes, trolleys are available and cost £1, €1 or $0.25 coin, refundable upon return of the trolley.
We do not currently have post boxes at the airport.
We currently do not offer shower facilities.
Yes, cash machines are located before and after security, offering GBP, Euros and US Dollars.
Getting to the airport
You can find directions by car, train, bus and coach by visiting our Getting to & from page.
London Stansted’s terminal closes between midnight and 02:00am. Therefore, departing passengers travelling on early morning flights should not arrive sooner than their scheduled check-in time. We do not allow bedding down in the terminal, so please see overnight accommodation options and travel options.
Parking
You may amend your booking up to 72 hours before your car parking commences, either online or by contacting us.
If your booking will change by less than 6 hours (for example if your flight time has changed slightly) there’s no need to contact us to change your booking. You can arrive in the car park up to 6 hours earlier and leave up to 6 hours later without incurring a charge.
Please note, if you have booked Security FastTrack, Passport Control FastTrack or a lounge with your car park booking then your original booking time will still apply to those products.
To amend your booking online, please re-visit the website you used to book and follow the online instructions or click the links below.
London Stansted Airport parking amendments
Amendments to the dates of stay are subject to the terms and conditions of your booking. Certain promotional products cannot be amended, it will be made clear at the point of booking if this is the case.
Please note if you booked during a sale or at a lower price and that rate is no longer available, the new rate will apply. Where specified in the product details some special offer bookings cannot be amended or cancelled.
Plans changed? Free cancellation up to 72 hours before your booking when you book directly with London Stansted Airport.
To cancel your booking online, please re-visit the website you used to book and follow the online instructions or click the links below.
Cancellations are subject to the terms and conditions of your booking. Where specified in the product details some special offer bookings cannot be amended or cancelled.
Stansted Airport parking cancellations
JetParks parking cancellations
Bookings cancelled within 72 hours of the time and date of arrival will not be refunded (or with booking where other cancellation conditions may apply).
If you chose to purchase the Cancellation Protection as part of your booking, you can cancel your booking up to 1 hour prior to arrival. Bookings cancelled within 1 hour of the car park arrival date will not be refunded.
Bookings made less than 72 hours before departure are non-refundable unless Cancellation Protection was purchased at the time of booking.
Customers who have booked via a third party should contact them directly.
If you are trying to amend or cancel your booking online via our website link below:
Stansted Airport parking amendments
And your booking reference is not recognised, it is likely that the booking has been made through a third-party site. Please check your booking confirmation email for information regarding how to amend/cancel your booking or click on the link below for third party contact details:
You will receive an on-screen confirmation which details your booking reference and instructions (please read these carefully). Please print this page for your records as you will need this information at the airport.
We will also send you a booking confirmation email. Please ensure that your vehicle registration details are correct as this is used to give you access to the car park. There is an option to amend your booking if you will be arriving at the airport in a different vehicle than originally planned.
You are responsible for supplying a valid email and we cannot be held responsible for non-delivery of booking confirmation emails due to transmission failure or incorrect address details.
Failure to receive the confirmation email has no bearing on the status of your booking, your booking is still valid, but please check your junk or spam folder just in case your booking confirmation email has been sent there. If not, your email address may have been entered incorrectly.
Yes. Bookings can be made up to at least 2 hours (6 hours for all Meet & Greet bookings) prior to your arrival time at the relevant Airport.
All Car Park bookings are subject to availability and the Airport reserves the right to withdraw availability at its entire discretion for a given date.
You may amend your vehicle details on your booking up to 24 hours before your car parking commences. To amend your vehicle details on your car park booking online, please re-visit the website you used to book and following the online instructions or click the links below.
Stansted Airport parking cancellations
If you booked with one of our sales agents please get in touch with them directly.
You will be charged for the additional days in which you stay in the car park, based on the overstay rate applicable to the car park and Airport.
Please be aware that if you have booked Meet & Greet parking and know in advance that you will be delayed, need to stay longer than expected or need to collect your car earlier than expected, please contact the Meet & Greet operation to inform them of your late/early return as soon as possible.
The Meet & Greet Operation contact details can be found on the booking receipt given to you by your Meet & Greet Receptionist when you drop off your keys. However, these details are also noted below:
London Stansted Meet & Greet: +44(0)7702 966325
For further details of these Overstay charges please refer to the terms and conditions on your booking confirmation or to ‘Section 6. Car Park Conditions of Use’ in the car parking terms and conditions on the Airport website.
Please note overstay charges are only applicable if you leave the car park 6 hours after the departure date and time entered at time of booking.
All our car parks are on site and are managed locally by the Airport.
However, the price can vary dependent on availability, car parking facilities and distance to the terminals. View information on all our car parks at a glance to decide which one is most suitable to your needs.
All our Airport car parks have a tarmac surface, with the exception of our Jet Parks car parks that have a gravel surface. However, please note that all our car parks have the Park Mark® Accreditation.
A height restriction of 2.0 metres (6 ft. 6 inches) applies to all Meet & Greet car parks and all multi-storey car parks across all the Airport sites.
Trailers are not permitted in any of our parking facilities.
The Airport car parks have been awarded Park Mark® Accreditation.
This means you're visiting a safer parking area that has been vetted by the British Parking Association (BPA) and has measures in place in order to create a safer environment for both you and your vehicle.
Yes, the coordinates stated on your email booking confirmation will direct you to the car park entrance. Please enter your chosen car park coordinates carefully into your Sat Nav.
There is no minimum stay duration for our Meet & Greet, Meet & Greet Plus or Short Stay car parks. However, the following car parks have the following minimum stay criteria:
Mid Stay: From 3 days
Long Stay: From 5 days
JetParks: From 7 days
Please note, these stay durations are subject to change due to car park availability.
If your vehicle has not been recognised by the ANPR cameras, please press the intercom assistance button on the entry column, a member of staff will then assist you.
Please do not take ticket, unless instructed to do so.
ANPR is used for pre-book customers only.
If you have pre-booked your parking, drive up to the barrier, once the ANPR cameras have recognised your vehicle registration the barrier will raise so you may enter the car park.
If for any reason the ANPR cameras do not recognise your vehicle registration plate (if the vehicle plate is obscured by dirt/snow etc.), the barrier will not lift. In this instance, please press the intercom assistance button on the entry column, a member of staff will then assist you. Please do not take ticket, unless instructed to do so.
Payment must be made in advance and online. We accept all major credit cards, debit cards and PayPal for pre-booking.
We reserve the right not to fulfil your booking if your card is declined for any reason, if the payment card has been used fraudulently or without the cardholder's permission, or if you are under the age of 18.
To protect your privacy and security, our website uses SSL encryption software, which is the industry standard. It encrypts your personal information so that it cannot be read.
You will know you are in the secure area of our site when the website address is preceded by “https://” and a padlock symbol appears in the frame of your browser.
All you need is your booking confirmation e-mail. Either accessible via your mobile device or as a printed hard copy.
This will help direct you to the correct car park and also states your booking reference number so you have it to hand, should you need to speak to a member of staff.
Approach the barrier, where your vehicle registration will be scanned by our ANPR cameras and verify this against your booking details and the barrier should then open automatically. Please be patient, as this process may take up to 30 seconds to happen.
If for any reason the ANPR cameras do not recognise your vehicle registration plate (if the vehicle plate is obscured by dirt/snow etc.), the barrier will not lift. In this instance, please press the intercom assistance button on the entry column, a member of staff will then assist you.
Please do not take ticket, unless instructed to do so.
If you have pre-booked long stay, mid stay or short stay car parking, approach the barrier, where your vehicle registration will be scanned by our ANPR cameras and verify this against your booking details and the barrier should then open automatically. Please be patient, as this process may take up to 30 seconds to happen.
If for any reason the ANPR cameras do not recognise your vehicle registration plate (if the vehicle plate is obscured by dirt/snow etc.), the barrier will not lift. In this instance, please press the intercom assistance button on the entry column, a member of staff will then assist you.
Please do not take ticket, unless instructed to do so.
If you have pre-booked Meet & Greet parking, approach the entry barrier and your car will automatically activate the intercom system.
The Meet & Greet operative will greet you over the intercom system and grant you access and provide parking instructions. Please remember to hand your keys into the office or use our self-service kiosks.
Please also have your return flight details available, as the Meet & Greet operative will make a note of these to ensure your vehicle is ready upon your return.
When you return, the Meet & Greet operatives will direct you to your car and advise of the exit procedure.
Please be aware, under no circumstances can we reserve a space for blue badge holders.
For security reasons the Blue Badge scheme does not operate on the London Stansted Airport road system. Unattended vehicles will be towed away by the police and a fine must be paid in order to retrieve such vehicles.
However, Blue Badge parking bays are available in each of the following car parks: Short Stay Car Park, Long Stay Car Park, Mid Stay Car Park and Express Set Down.
Jet Parks Customers (Pre-Booked Only): please ensure that at time of booking you make your requirements known and you will be upgraded automatically into Long Stay.
Additional details in regards to Blue Badge parking at the Airport can be found via the following links:
Lack of car park availability could be due to:
The car park being fully booked for all or part of your stay;
Because the booking conditions for the car parking product have not been met; or
Because you are trying to book for less than the minimum stay.
Try adjusting your selection or choose another car park. For Meet & Greet bookings, please check to ensure that you have entered the correct arrival time.
If you are still experiencing problems, please contact our Customer Contact Centre, on the following free phone numbers, who can advise on a suitable alternative car park:
London Stansted Airport queries: 0808 168 6111
JetParks queries: 0808 169 7029
Car parks are priced per calendar day or part thereof. Prices are subject to change and quotes are valid at the time of booking only. The number of days charged is calculated on the basis of the dates and times you select at time of booking.
For example if you are travelling on a Monday and returning the following Monday you will be charged for 8 days.
All prices shown are in GBP and include VAT at 20%.
Car parking charges will also vary according to:
The time of year;
Location of car park in relation to the terminal; and
How far you book in advance.
We have a number of options available when picking up or dropping off at the airport, allowing you to choose what works best for you.
The Express Set Down is for dropping-off friends or loved ones;
If you are looking to pick-up or head in to the terminal then you should use either our Short Stay car parks (Orange or Green zones); or
Park for free for up to 1 hour in our Mid Stay car park. Just follow signs for 'Free Set Down'.
Please note that turn-up car parking tariff charges will apply to the Express Set Down Drop Off and Short Stay car park.
Although only a minority of passengers will be affected by this charge, the revenue generated will help to make sure that we are able to keep investing in the airport which will ultimately lead to more airlines flying to more destinations.
Other regional airports around the country have also introduced a range of charges for drop off/ pick up.
If you can’t see the answer to your question above, or for any other general enquires please call our Customer Contact Centre on the following free phone numbers:
London Stansted Airport queries
Our team are ready to help with your booking between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday, closed on Bank Holidays
For third party bookings, passengers should refer to their initial provider.
Travel
You will find up to date information here.
The Pet Travel Scheme, offered by the UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) allows cats and dogs to travel between some countries and UK airports, without the need for quarantine. You can find out more here.
For up to date information on Visa requirements, you can find out more here.
The UK Government have introduced an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme as part of their transformation and digitisation of the UK border.
The ETA scheme is open to Qatari nationals, who can now apply and will require an ETA to travel to the UK on or after 15 November 2023. Other nationalities do not need to apply yet.
An ETA costs £10 and permits multiple journeys to the UK over two years or until the holder’s passport expires whichever is sooner.
For more information and regular updates on ETAs, please visit the ETA information page on GOV.UK
For up to date information on obtaining an emergency travel document, you can find out more here.
You can fly to over 150 destinations from London Stansted Airport. For a full list, visit our Destinations page.
You must request a VAT refund form from any UK retailer that you buy goods from. You must complete and sign this prior to visiting the Travelex desk at Manchester Airport. You can find out more here.
Air Passenger Duty is calculated on each passenger at the rate for the place of their final destination. You can find out more here.
FastTrack
If you are delayed we cannot guarantee that you will be able to use the Passport Control FastTrack lane. This will be at the airport’s discretion and will depend on whether the total number of passengers for that hour has been exceeded.
FastTrack is open from 04:00 until 20:00. Passport Control FastTrack is open 24/7.
Both Passport Control FastTrack and Security FastTrack are non-refundable and non-amendable if booked as standalone products.
If you've booked Passport Control FastTrack or Security FastTrack as part of a car park booking, you can amend your FastTrack booking when you also amend your car park booking. The amendment fee is £7.50.
The amendment fee is waived if you purchased Cancellation Protection when you made your car park booking.
Lounge
Yes, you can cancel/amend your booking by visiting the website you used to book and following the online instructions. If you booked with one of our Sales Agents please get in touch with them directly.
You can find the latest opening hours for the Escape Lounge here.
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